NLRB repeats ICTSI's one-sided allegations in complaint

Union will fight charges; the real issue is that ICTSI is flouting multiple rulings issued against the company for failing to follow its collective bargaining agreement

PORTLAND, OR (June 16, 2012) — The ILWU strongly refutes the allegations in the article published in the Oregonian today and has these additional comments:

The NLRB complaint includes one-sided allegations, based on ICTSI’s version of events, that have not yet been tested by a judge of any kind.

What is undisputed here is that ICTSI signed onto the coastwide collective bargaining agreement, the PCL&CA, and agreed to comply with its terms. Now ICTSI wants to pick and choose which provisions to comply with and which to ignore.

ICTSI is openly flouting multiple rulings issued against it under its collective bargaining agreement with the ILWU. The entire West Coast longshore industry — union and employers — have united in opposition to ICTSI’s renegade behavior, and have jointly filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking injunctive relieve and compliance with the contract. ICTSI’s refusal to comply with the terms of the agreement that it signed onto has a detrimental impact on the entire West Coast industry and to the nearly 80-year-old collective bargaining relationship between the PMA and the ILWU.

The ILWU is not engaged in a slowdown, contrary to the propaganda being espoused by the Port. Friday’s net production figures were well within the norm. Steamship lines are PMA members themselves and are party to the lawsuit against ICTSI. They have an obligation, like ICTSI, to secure full observance of the Agreement. The Steamship companies have given written instruction to ICTSI to comply on their behalf to all terms of the ILWU/PMA Collective bargaining Agreement. ICTSI has refused their instructions. If Steamship companies leave Portland it is because of ICTSI, not the ILWU.

It’s unfortunate that the NLRB is allowing itself to be used by ICTSI to try to mask its unlawful conduct.